title: Induction immunosuppression with basiliximab in heart transplantation.
abstract: After clinical heart transplantation (HT), it is crucial to use appropriate immunosuppressive agents to prevent rejection. The use of basiliximab or rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (RATG) for induction therapy has significantly reduced the incidence of acute rejection episodes after kidney transplantation. In this study we sought to examine the effects of basiliximab after HT. From June 2006 to July 2007, we performed 43 HT including patients 18-65 years old undergoing primary HT who were included in this study of basiliximab induction (20 mg intravenous [iv] on days 0 and 4). Cyclosporine and everolimus were given with basiliximab induction. All others received RATG induction (1.5-2.5 mg/kg iv infusion on days 0, 1, and 2) followed by cyclosporine or tacrolimus combined with mycophenolate mofetil. All patients underwent the same operative procedure, steroid-tapering protocol, and postoperative care with protocol endomyocardial biopsy. Basiliximab was well-tolerated and easy to use. There was only 1 operative mortality; the patient died of sepsis due to Enterobacter cloacae. All others survived the operation and are alive and in good health with a 2-year survival rate of 92.86%. No severe adverse events were noted during the first postoperative month. No acute rejection > or = grade 2R or rejection associated with hemodynamic compromise was noted during the whole course. Basiliximab as induction immunosuppressant was simple, safe, and effective after HT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077552:Basiliximab; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000601:surgery*; D016972:Enterobacter cloacae; D004756:Enterobacteriaceae Infections / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality; D011817:Rabbits; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000077552:Basiliximab